


with great power

by sleeponrooftops



Series: raising webhead: a parenting guide, attempted by the science boyfriends [31]
Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-30
Updated: 2013-06-30
Packaged: 2017-12-16 15:26:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/863564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeponrooftops/pseuds/sleeponrooftops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter’s being bullied at school, and he doesn’t want his dads to find out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	with great power

**Author's Note:**

> Notes —
> 
> i. Like I said, this one is skipping forward a few years—five, to be exact—so Peter and Flash are now ten, Johnny is twelve, and Wade is fourteen. I know, it’s a crazy time-jump, but I really want to work on some new material, instead of trying to write always in a child’s dialogue, and you guys have already had thirty fics with him as a kid, so. I think it’s justifiable. Also, I think this may become a theme, skipping forward. I don’t want to stay at ten forever, or even for the next ten fics, but it won’t be anything massive. I’ll probably just be moving two years ahead every once in a while.
> 
> ii. I used _the_ line. I’m sorry, but I’ve been avoiding it for a while, and it was just such a perfect moment.

_Five years later._

_October, 2020_

Bruce swears as Jarvis informs them of the time, and he carefully extracts himself from a tangle of wires, looking around the lab until he spots one of Tony’s hands, gripping the edge of a wall, the rest of him hidden behind the mess he’s been working through.  “Tony!” he calls even as he’s heading for the lab door, “I’m going to pick up Peter, are you alright on your own?”

 

Tony’s grunt carries through the lab, and Bruce takes it for a response before pulling open the door and jogging down the hall to the elevator.  Once in the garage, he pulls on a jacket while he picks out a car, and then he’s settling behind the wheel of a silver one and heading out for the school.  They’re just being released when he arrives, and Bruce hastens to get up to the schoolyard, spotting Sue and going over.  “Hey,” she says cheerily as he approaches, “Just in time.”

 

“Yeah, it’s crazy back at the Tower, been doing major work in R&D for the past few days.”

 

“I’m sure Peter’s having a blast, then.  He’s always telling Johnny about how _cool_ it is when you two work together on something.”

 

“Good to hear,” Bruce says, and then the fifth graders are being let out.

 

He looks over the heads of the parents, but he can’t see Peter until Sue gives a soft sigh and says, “Good luck,” and Bruce deflates as he sees him standing by his teacher, Mrs. James, looking down at his feet.

 

Bruce makes his way over, and Mrs. James spots him as he’s just coming out from the crowd of parents.  She leads Peter over to the side, smiling as he approaches.  “Doctor Banner, is it?” she says, holding out a hand.

 

“Mrs. James,” Bruce says, shaking hands with her, “Is something wrong?”

 

“Well, I wanted to bring this to you first before I brought it before the principal, see if something couldn’t be done at home.  I’d really rather not see anyone in trouble in my class, but the issue must be addressed.”

 

“Of course,” Bruce says, frowning, “What happened?”

 

“Well, as you know, Peter’s been the victim of a little bit of bullying, and—”

 

“I’m sorry, what?” Bruce interrupts her, looking over at Peter, who won’t meet his gaze, “Someone’s been bullying him?”

 

“A few of his classmates, actually,” Mrs. James says, matching Bruce’s frown, “I’m sorry, I thought Peter had spoken to you and your partner about it.”

 

“No, he hasn’t.  Anyway—you were saying?”

 

“Right.  Well, since school began, really, there have been three boys that have been bullying him, and I’ve spoken with each of their parents on multiple occasions, but we have a three strike policy, and I’ll be sitting down with each of the students and their parents with the principal.  Peter, however, reacted badly today, and I’m coming to you first because he is an exceptional young boy, and I know he didn’t mean to frighten the other students.”

 

“Oh no,” Bruce sighs, already knowing where this is going, “I thought we told you that you couldn’t wear the shooters to school.”

 

“It’s not _fair_ ,” Peter mutters, folding his arms across his chest, “I _told_ them if they wouldn’t stop, I’d make them.”

 

“ _Peter_ ,” Bruce says sternly, looking at him in disbelief before turning back to Mrs. James, “I apologize, Mrs. James.  What did he do?”

 

“Nothing serious, I assure you, Doctor Banner.  I just ask that you remind him that violence, of any form, is not tolerated at this school.  I understand why he did what he did, but that doesn’t make it right, and if I see one of those—shooters, did you call them—well, I’ll have to inform the principal.  I’m sure you can understand, considering the circumstances.  You know we have nothing against having Peter with us here, but this is still a public school, and there are no regulations on disciplinary action regarding—enhanced students.”

 

“I understand.  Thank you—really.  His father and I will speak with him when we get home.  This won’t happen again.  I’m sorry for any trouble he caused.”

 

“Not at all, Doctor Banner.  Have a good day.  I’ll see you tomorrow, Peter,” she says with a smile before leaving them.

 

Bruce waits until she’s returned to the school before he puts a hand on Peter’s back and steers him away.  They don’t talk until they’re in the car, and then Bruce is sighing and scrubbing a hand through his hair before he looks over at Peter.  “What’s going on?” he asks.

 

Peter refuses to meet his gaze as he says, “I don’t need your help.  I can take care of it on my own.”

 

“Clearly not,” Bruce says, “Peter, I’m going to be mad unless you tell me what happened.”

 

“ _Nothing_ happened,” Peter snaps, crossing his arms.

 

“Then you’re grounded, and you can’t sleep over Johnny’s this weekend.”

  
“ _Dad_!” he whines, looking over at Bruce.

 

“Peter, you can’t use your powers on kids at school.”

 

“What if I went to Xavier’s?”

 

“Absolutely not!  There should be no difference in your mind between yourself and someone like—like Flash.  He’s your friend, and he doesn’t have powers—would you ever use your powers on him?”

 

“No,” Peter mumbles.

 

“Exactly, so you shouldn’t be using them on other students.  If someone is bullying you, you tell dad and me, and we’ll sort it out.”

 

“I can do it myself!” he exclaims.

 

“By _hurting_ someone in return?  Peter—with great power comes great responsibility.  Do you remember what we always used to say before you got a new pet?”

 

“I couldn’t get a new one until I showed I was responsible enough to take care of the ones I had,” he mutters, looking out the window, “It’s not fair, dad.  Everyone’s so mean to me, especially _them_.  They always tease me about having powers and being different, and about having two dads and not knowing my real parents, and just about—everything.  I hate it.  I didn’t mean to hurt them, I just wanted to scare them a little so they would leave me alone.”

 

“Which is why your teacher came to me first, so that we could talk about this.  You’re not in trouble, Peter, but you need to understand why you can’t use your powers on people.”

 

“Then what good are they?”

 

“When you’re older, you’ll have cause to use them, but, right now, you are _ten_ , and if you use your powers again, we might have to move you to Xavier’s, where they _do not_ tolerate that at all.”

 

“But, dad!”

 

“No buts about it, that’s—that’s it.  If you can prove to us that you deserve to go to this school, then you can stay there.  It was a very hard decision for dad and I to make, putting you in public school, so don’t disappoint us, okay?”

 

“Okay,” he sighs, undoing his seat belt as Bruce pulls into the garage.  He gets out when Bruce does, shouldering his backpack and looking down at his feet.  “I’m sorry, dad,” he mumbles, and Bruce comes over, pulling Peter to him and hugging him tightly.

 

“It’s okay,” Bruce says, “I’m not mad.”

 

“Are you going to tell dad?” Peter asks, stepping away and looking up at him.

 

“Yes, I am.”

 

Peter groans, dropping his head back, and Bruce smiles lightly, mussing up his hair before heading for the elevator.  “He’s going to make such a big deal about it,” Peter grumbles as he follows him.

 

“Yeah, well—he’s Tony Stark, what did you expect?  He built a Tower with over ninety floors with his name plastered across the front, do you honestly think he’s ever going to react normally to something?”

**Author's Note:**

> I didn’t really expect this one to be a two-parter, but I have some things left that I want to write about concerning Peter’s bullies, so. There’s that, and don’t forget to leave your thoughts!


End file.
